Index



s. ANTHONY.

INDEX.

APPLICATION FILED AU'G.14. 19l6-- Patented June 13, 1922.

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M mm w o M 0+ n H W e ow \llnw Y b S. ANTHONY.

INDEX.

APPLICATION FILED AUG- I4, 1916.

1,41 9, 194;. Patented June 13, 1922.

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25 inventor.

Si'unley AnThony A'fiys.

PATENT OFFICE.-

s'raivtnv ANTHONY, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 13, 1922.

Application filed August 14, 1916. Serial No. 114,674.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, STANLEY ANTHONY, a

' citizen of the United States, residin at Boston, county of Sufiolk, State of setts, have invented an Improvement in Inassachudexes', of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to indexes such as are used in business-houses for cataloguing lists of names comprising mailing lists, ad-

dresses, telephone numbers, etc., or for cataloguing any other data relative to the busi ness in WhlCh the index is used, and among the objects ofthe invention are to provide an improved index having the capability of containing a large number of names or a large amount of data in a verycompact space and in such a way that any index member is readily accessible, to provide an index comprising a plurality of index cards situated in overlapping relation in which each index card can be readily removed from its carrier without removing the carrier from the holder; to provide an improved hinge connection between each card and its car.

invention, I have illustrated 'in the. draw-v ings some selected embodiments thereof I which will now be described, after which the novel features will be pointed out in the. appended claims. I In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a construction embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the carriers of the cards; v v i Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through a few of the cards and their carrie s in as sembled relation; v

Fig.4 is a transverse sectional view; Fig. 5 is avertical sectional view through one of the cards;

Fig. -6 is a perspective view of the hinge element by which the card is hinged to its carrier;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of the upper edge of the card showing the manner in which'the card is constructed to receive the hin e member;

ig. 8 is a view showing the mannerinremoved from the card;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a carrier embodying my invention having a different construction than that shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of one of the cards;

Fig. 10 is a similar view showing a different form of card;

Fig. 11 is a section on the line 11,l1, Fig. 10. p l

The index herein shown is of that type comprising a plurality of cards carried by a holder and arranged in overlapping relation, said cards being individually removable from the holder and also pivotally mounted therein so that anycard can be swung upwardly to uncover and give access to the card directly beneath. The cards are indicated generally at- 1 and the holder in which the cards are sustained at 2.

Each card is pivotally sustained on a car rier' 4, and the carriers are retained in position relative to the holder 2 by lips 3 formed on the holder and which form therewith. guides in which the ends of the carrier are slid'ably received.

One feature of my present invention relates to a construction which permits the cards to be readily removed from their carriers without'removing the carriers from the holder. The advantage of this is that if it becomes-necessary to make any change in the data borne by any card, then the card can be readily removed from its carrier while the carrier is still in, the holder, and the pres-' ence of the carrier in the holder will hold the other cards properly spaced. The space formerly occupied by the card which has been removed will give an indication as. to 100 the proper position in which to insert said card when the change has been made.

The carriers; 4 may be made in various ways without departing from the invention.

- In Figs. 2, 3 and 4 I have shown a carrier These trunnion 'or pintle porso that while the carrier rests against the holder 2, the pintle POT-1 tions 6 are spaced therefrom. In indexes having this overlapping card feature, it is necessary that the cards should be spaced a certain distance from each otherin order that they may be freely operated, and this spacing is herein accomplishedby the carriers themselves. T he carriers are so made that the portions 5 thereof with the pintles 6 are separated from the main part 4: of the carrier a distance equal to the desired spacing, and hence when the carriers are placed in the holder 2 and rest one on the other, the pintle portions 6 of the adjacent carriers will be separated sufficiently to give the cards 1 the proper spacing.

In order to prevent any possibility of the carriers slipping past each other in the holder, I will preferably make each carrier with the offset portion 7 at each end, these offset portions 7 constituting guard proj ec tions that prevent the carriers from slipping by each other. Any carrier with its card thereon can be readily removed from the holder 2 by simply bending the central portion of the carrier outwardly away from the holder, thus withdrawing the ends of the car rier from beneath the lips 3. The card can. be readily removed from its carrier by simply bending the card centrally so as to withdraw it from the inner ends of the pintles 6, as will be more fully hereinafter described. The construction is such that the card can be removed from its carrier without removing the carrier from the holder if desired.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a different form of carrier which,however, embodies the same principle as the carrier shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. In said Fig. 8 the carrier is made from a strip 60 of sheet metal which is preferably plainly in Fig. 4E,

resilient and is of a size to be held by the lips 3 of the holder 2. Each strip 60 is of a width corresponding to the spacing desired between adjacent cards, and hence when the carriers are in the holders 2, they will operate to space. the cards properly. Each carrier has struck up therefrom a pin ole-forming portion 61, each pintle-forming portion having the part 62 which is bent laterally at right angles to the strip 60 and the pintle portion 63 which is bent parallel to the strip 60. The pintle portions 63 are shaped so as to present a cylindrical pintle,

and the pintle portions of each carrier are directed toward each other. By this construction the pintles of each carrier are offset from the body of the carrier so that the cards can be readily turned. In indexes of this type where the individual cards are frequently turned up to give access to the card beneath, it is desirable that the pivotal or hinge connection between the cards and the carriers should be a strong one and one which will not give way after repeated use.

engagement with the lips 11.

One feature of my present invention relates to a novel pivotal connection between the card and its carrier which meets these requirements. My improved pivotal connection is formed by a metal hinge member 8 which is detachably secured to the card and which is adapted to be pivotally mounted on the pintle portion 6 0f the carrier. Each hinge member 8 is shown as presenting the pintle-receiving portion 9 through which the pintle 6 extends, the two arms or side pieces 10 having at their ends the'laterallyextending finger 12 which is situated between the side arms 10 and extends slightly beyond the lips lips 11 and the central resilient 11. This resilient finger 12 is offset from the arms 10 slightlyvat its inner end, as shown at 18, the offset being substantially equal to the thickness of the card. The card 1 is formed with two slots 1 1 of a size and properly positioned to receive the lips 11 and is also formed in its upper edge with a notch 15 of a size to receive the offset portion 13 of the resilient arm 12.

When the hinge member is applied to the card,the arms 10 overlie one face of the card with the lips 11 occupying the slots 14, and the offset portion 13 occupies the notch 15, the resilient finger 12 lying on the opposite face of the card from the arms 10 and by its resiliency holding the slots 14 of the card in member is thus securely held to the card and because-of its construction the card can be repeatedly turned up about the pintles of its carrier without danger of injuring the card or the hinge connection. The hinge member can be readily removed from thecard by bending the resilient finger 12 away from the arm 10 sufliciently to permit the slots 14. to be withdrawn from the li s 11, as shown in Fig. 8, after which the hinge member may be readily withdrawn from the card. The hinge member may also be easily applied to the card by opening the finger 12 away from the arms 10 sufliciently to permit the edge of the card to be inserted between said finger and the arm. The fact that the end of the finger 12 extends beyond the arms facilitates the operation of applying the hinge member to the card or removing it therefrom. The hinge member thus presents one portion which overlies one face of the card and has two lips to extend through the apertures therein and another resilient portion which overlies the other face of the card and yieldingly holds the lips in the apertures.

The hinge members 8 will be placed in position on the cards before the cards are attached to the carrier. The operation of conpintle-receiving portion of the other hinge The hinge member to be slipped over the other pintle. When the card is on the carrier said card is prevented from longitudinal movement relative to the carrier by the engagement of the hinge members with the offset portions 1680f the carriers.

' The card can be readily removed from its carrier by bending said card centrally in an tie and then withdrawin member from its pintle.

removing the card from its carrier or placlng outward direction sufficiently to permit one hinge member to be withdrawn from its pinthev other hinge hese operations of the card on the carrier can, be performed equally well whether the carrier is in 'the holder or is removed from the holder, and one important feature of my invention lies in .thecapability of removing the cards from their carriers without removing the carriers from the holder. This is quite an advantage, especially where the reason for the removal of the'card is simply in the data thereon, and it is desired to re;

place the card in its proper position in the holder after such change is made. Suppose, for instance, an address on the card. The card can be removed from its carrier without removing the carrier from the holder, and because the carrier remainsin the holder, the relative position of the cards remaining in the holder will be unchanged. There will thus exist a space at theplace where the card has been removed, thus indicating the po-- sition in which the card is to be placed after the" change is made. If it was necessary to remove the carrier with the card, then such removal of the carrier would allow the other carriers to shift their position relative to each other, and the particular place where the removed card belongs would be lost. By means of my invention, however, it is possible to preserve an indication of this place, thus. facilitating the re-insertion of the card into the holder after the correction has been made thereon.

So far as the construction above described is concerned, the cards 1 might be designed to receive any desired data. Each card might be devoted to one particular name or one particular subject, or each card might be constructed to receive a plurality of names or subjects. In the construction herein illustrated, each card is constructed to sustain removably a plurality of index strips, each strip. having a capacity for receiving one name or address ortelephone number, etc.

With this arrangement, each card might correspond to a letter of the alphabet and it would have on it several names beginning with that letter.

The card construction illustrated is one in which the card has at each end a retaining lip 17 which is adapted to overlie the ends of and hold in place index strips 18 of to make some change it is desired merely to change" paper or similar material. be of a size to receive one name and address or telephone number. are arranged one above the other, as shown in Fig. 9 with the ends thereof slipped under and retained 11 position by the lips 17. I

Each strip may 9 These index strips preferably secure each cover 19 centrally to the'card 1 at the top and bottom edges, the

ends 20 of the cover being free to be turned up, as shown in Fig. 9, thereby giving access to the individual strips 18. The ends 20 of this protective cover are retained in position underneath the lips 17, and to facilitate the insertion of said. ends under the lips, I proppse to make the ends 20 rounded somewhat.-

hen the cover is in place, the data on the individual strips 18 can be readily read. If it is desired to remove any ofthe strips 18 or to add new index strips to the card, then one or both ends 20 of the protective cover can be withdrawn from the lips 17 and turned up, as shown in Fig.9, thereby exposing the index strip 18. The index strip can then be readily removed or inserted and any desired adjustment made relative to the position of the index strips, after which the protective cover may be replaced in position. Where this construction is card constitutes a holder which is adapted to removably receive a plurality of index strips and by arranging the cards in the provided each,

holder 2 in the overlapping relation shown,

an extremely compact device is provided in 1 which a large number of index strips can be confined in a very small compass.

While the protective cover 19 may be applied to the card in any suitable Way I have herein illustrated. a construction wherein the protective cover for both sides of the card is made from the same celluloid sheet, the

latter being folded around the lower edge of the card and the upper edges of the sheet being secured to the upper end of the card in somesuitable way as by eyelets 21. At the lower edge of the card the protective cover is cut from the ends inwardly to the points 22 to allow the ends of the protective cover to be readily turned up.

In Fig. 10 I have illustrated a slightly different embodiment of the invention wherein each protective cover is made in sections so that it is possible to turn up a portion only thereof at each end. In this embodiedge of the card.

edges a plurality of times, as shown at 23,.

thus making the cover sections 24. The advantage of this construction is that when it is desired to remove or adjust any particular index strip it will be necessary to turn up only the section of the protective cover which immediately overlies the particular index strip. In this construction I have shown the central portion of the protective cover as held in position by wires 25 which extend through apertures 26 in the top and bottom The holders such as shown in Fig. 1 may be used individually or collectively, depending upon the size of the index which it is necessary to use. If said holders are used collectively a plurality of them may be mounted on a standard or support in any suitable way so that anyone of the holders can be brought into accessible position.

I claim:

1. In an index, the combination with a holder having a retaining lip at each edge, of a plurality of resilient card carriers reniovably retained in position by said lips, an index card carried by each carrier said carrier and card being constructed to permit the removal of the card from the carrier without removing the carrier from the holder, each carrier having at some point between its ends an increased lateral dimension whereby the carriers are prevented from slipping past each other in the holder. v 2. In an index, the combination with a holder having a retaining lip at each edge, of a plurality of resilient card carriers removably retained in position-by said lips, an index card carried by each carrier said carrier and card being adapted to permit the removal of the card from the carrier without removing the carrier from the holder, each carrier having at some point between its ends a lateral guard projection to prevent the carrier next above from being displaced.

3. In an index, the combination with a holder having a retaining lip at each edge, of a plurality of resilient card carriers retained in position by said lips, each carrier having a pair of card-receiving pintles and a card pivotally' mounted on the pintles of each carrier and capable of removal therefrom without removing the carrier from the holder, each carrier having alaterally extending guard projection to prevent the carrier next abo e it from being displaced.

4. In 2.1 index, the combination with a holder having a retaining lip at each edge, of a plurality of resilient card carriers res tained in positionby said lips, each carrier having a pair of card-receiving pintles and a card pivotally mounted on the pintles of each carrier and capable of removal there from without removing the carrier from the a laterally-ofiset guard portion, and a card pivotally mounted on the pintles of each carrier.

6. In an index, the'combination with a card having two separated apertures spaced from its edge, of a hinge member presenting a resilient portion, to overlie one face of the card and having two separated lips to enter said apertures and also having a resilient portion to overlie the other face of the card and yieldingly hold said lips in .said apertures and a carrier to which said hinge member is pivoted.

7. In an index, the combination with a card having adjacent each end, two separated apertures spaced from its top edge, of two hinge men1bers,'ea'ch presenting a resilient portion to overlie one face ofthe card and having two separated lips to enter two of said apertures and also having a resilient portion to overlie the other face of the card .and yieldingly hold said lips in said apertures, said hinge member having a pintle-receiving portion situated beyond the edge of the card and a carrier on which said pintle receiving portions are pivotally mounted.

8. In an index, the combination with a card having apertures adjacent its edge, of a hinge member presenting two arms adapted to overlie one face of the card and provided at their ends with lips to enter said apertures, and a resilient finger adapted to overlie the other face of the card and yieldingly hold said lips in said aperture, said hinge member having a pintle-receiving portion, and a carrier on which said intle-receiving portion is pivotally mounte 9. In an index, the combination with a card having apertures adjacent its edge, of a hinge member presenting two arms adapted to overlie one face of the card and provided at their ends with lips to enter said apertures, and a resilient finger of greater length than said arms adapted to overlie the other face of the card and yieldingly hold said lips in said aperture, said hinge member having a pintle-receiving portion, and a carrier on which said pintle-receiving portion is pivotally mounted.

10. In an index, thecombination with a holder, of a plurality of carriers removably sustained thereby, each formed of Wire bent to present two card-carrying pintles, a card having two hinge members removably se cured thereto and each provided with a pintle-receiving portion which is pivotally mounted on one of the pintles.

11. In an index, the combination with a holder, of a carrier removably sustained thereby, and'formed of wire bent to present two card-carrying pintles, and a card having two hinge members removably secured thereto and each provided with a pintle-receiving portion which is pivotally mounted on one of the pintles, each hinge member presenting two arms adapted to overlie one face of the card and provided with lips to enter apertures in the card, and a resilient finger to overlie the other face of the card and yieldingly hold said lips in said apertures.

12. In an index, the combination with a body member having retaining lips at its edges, of a plurality of index elements retained in position by said lips, and a protective cover of transparent material secured to the body member centrally thereof, the ends of saidcover being free to be turned back to give access to the index elements, said ends being rounded and adapted to be inserted under the lips.

' 13. In an index, the combination with a body member having retaining lips at its edges on both sides thereof, of a plurality of index elements adapted to be retained in position beneath said lips, and a protective cover of'transparent material folded about the lower edge of said body member and secured thereto at the upper edge centrally thereof, the ends of the cover on each side of the body member being free-to be turned back thereby affording access to the index elements.

edges on both sides thereof, of a plurality of index elements adapted to be retained in position beneath said lips, and a protective cover of transparent material folded about the lower edge of said body member and se cured thereto at the upper edge centrally thereof, the ends of the cover on each side of the body member being free to be turned back thereby affording access 'to the index elements, said ends being rounded and constructed to be inserted beneath the lips.

15. In an index, the combination with a body member having retaining lips at its edges, of a plurality of index elements adapted to be retained in position beneath said lips, and a protective cover of transparent material overlying said index elements and secured centrally to the body element, the ends of said protective cover being free and being divided so that any section thereof can be turned back to expose the index elements therebeneath without distorting the other sections.

16. The combination with a main frame, of a plurality of overlapping holders detachably mounted therein, each holder comprising a body portion, a transparent sheath portion extending over the major part of the body portion, means for removably confining the edges of the sheath portion and aplurality of index slips removably secured between the sheath and body portion.

17 The combination with a main frame, of a holder mounted therein, said holder comprising a body portion having confining lips at either side thereof, a transparent sheath extending across the face of the body portion and having its free edges detachably seated beneath said lips and a plurality of index slips removably supported between the sheath and body portion.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

STANLEY ANTHONY. 

